Key facts
- Over 300 Boston Dynamics employees signed a petition against selling robot dogs to ICE.
- The contract is worth $1.3 million for modified Spot robots named Cerberus.
- Boston Dynamics stated the robots will not be weaponized and are intended for safety.
- Employees cited concerns about ICE's use of the robots in deportations and raids.
- The robots are equipped with advanced sensors, cameras, and an optional robotic arm.
Hundreds of employees at US robotics firm Boston Dynamics have signed a petition urging executives to halt a sale of the company’s robot dogs to US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The petition, with over 300 signatures, expresses horror and disbelief at the deal, warning of significant risk to the company's reputation. Executives, however, have defended the sale, stating the robots will not be weaponized and are intended to keep people safe. The contract, awarded to Radeco, is for $1.3 million and involves modified versions of Boston Dynamics' Spot robots, marketed as Cerberus, equipped with advanced sensors and cameras for various inspection missions. Employees are concerned about the potential misuse of the technology by ICE, citing its involvement in deportations and workplace raids, including a recent large-scale operation at a Hyundai facility.